The average height of European men rose by 11 centimetres between 1870 and 1980, an unprecedented spurt linked mainly to better health, smaller families and bigger incomes a new study says.

The review, published in the Oxford Economic Papers, is garnered from military, medical and other records for young adult males aged around 21 from 15 countries.

Northern European nations saw the largest growth in height between the two world wars. But those in southern Europe, a definition that includes France, had their increase post-World War II :: Read the full article »»»»